An uncomfortable sight for many but not for the SA Cleaners, Security and Allied Workers Union(SACSAAWU) members who stripped naked outside the Gauteng Department of Health during their ongoing protest. The workers are demanding that they be given their jobs back and be paid money from their UIF and provident funds. The protesters are private security officers who worked in hospitals and clinics around Gauteng.

SACSAAWU Secretary, Andries Potsane, said that they had been trying to fight the department to not retrench but rather absorb their members given the high unemployment rates in the country. Potsane expressed concern about the termination of the guards' contracts at the end of last month. "We have engaged the department about this issue and handed over a memorandum of grievances and also wrote several letters to the MEC complaining about exploitation of our security officers in our country, this happens with cleaners too, "said Potsane. He said shortly after handing over the memorandum, they discovered that the department had terminated contracts with service providers. He added that they engaged the department as they are worried about the high unemployment rates in the country. "Many of security guards who were protesting do not even have UIF but it was deducted from their salaries monthly. Some don't even have provident funds, but it was also deducted from their salaries and not paid to the department of labour. They were even under paid going home with only R4 200 whilst the Psira rate has increased to R5 700. Our members were not paid that rate." He added that they also do not get bonuses, leave, family responsibility, paid public holidays or Sunday allowances.

Potsane said it is out of frustration that the protesters came to camp outside the department demanding to be given their jobs back and absorbed into the system by the new service providers, but their cries have fallen on deaf ears. He said on the 1st of April they tried to be absorbed by the new service providers with no luck. "A memorandum of demands was submitted to the Office of MEC on 22 March 2024, but the office refused to respond to members' demands. Grievance letters were sent to the Department of Health for non-compliance of service providers. The members will remain naked until the Department of Health responds to their demands," said Potsane.